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by NEXT Pittsburgh What’s so cool about manufacturing? Last Wednesday more than 750 people, from high school students to industry leaders, gathered at Heinz Field to find out as the winners of a student video contest were announced. “The focus of our video contest was to get young people connected around the concept of what makes manufacturing cool,” said Petra Mitchell, president and CEO of Catalyst Connection, which hosted…

Catalyst Connection, which has been helping regional manufacturers grow their businesses for 30 years, celebrated the What’s So Cool About Manufacturing Video Contest at its annual meeting Wednesday night. The program focused on getting students out of the classroom and into the manufacturing field. The event, held at Heinz Field, attracted more than 750 people, including manufacturers, industry leaders, students, teachers and parents. “The focus of our video contest…

By Sandra Tolliver, NEXT Pittsburgh Byron Clayton was content living in Louisiana and running Research Park Corporation, a tech-focused economic development organization. But an opportunity in Pittsburgh arose, reminding him of his passion for robotics. His first job, many years before, was running the robotics painting lab for Cybotech in Indianapolis, a corporation that no longer exists. “I wanted to get back to robotics. This is an exciting time…

ARC Power Mini-Grant Program helps manufacturers affected by the coal decline About the ARC Grant Program by Amanda Waltz, NEXT Pittsburgh Click here to read this article and others on NEXT PittsburghWhile coal workers wait to see if President Trump’s support will save their jobs, Catalyst Connection has a new program to boost local manufacturers affected by the struggling industry.Catalyst Connection wants small- to medium-sized manufacturers impacted by downturns…

Earlier this month, Catalyst Connection hosted the Advanced Technology and the Future of Manufacturing Conference. The event was well-attended as industry experts reviewed topics including advanced manufacturing, robotics and cybersecurity.Here are some key takeaways from the day:Internet of Things (IoT) Bob Evans, Founder and Principal of Evans Strategic Communications LLC, discussed IoT and informed participants of how IoT will shorten the distance between people, devices and decisions.Cloud computing will…